Rope clip



Nov. 19, 1940.

D. Vr'. LARKIN ROPE CLIP original Filed mit. 13, '1937 2 sheets-sheet 1FIG.

FIG.

I'NVENTOR:

DENNIS F. LARKIN BY va I ATTORNEY.

, Nov. 19, 1940.. D LAWN 2,222,038.

ROPE CLIP Original Filed Oct. l5, 1937 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 vINVENTOR:DENNIS F. LARKIN BY l ATToRNsY Patented Nov. 19, 1940 Born our Dennis F.Larkin, San Francisco, Calif. j j

october 13, 1937, serial No. 168,739 Renewed April 6, 1940 Application 4Claims.

` This invention relates to improvements in rope clips and moreparticularly tomeans for joining intersecting ropes.

In the fabrication of rope nets'and othery reticulate fabrics it hasbeen the practice to form involved knots at the points of theintersecting ropes to prevent them slipping relative to each other. Thismethod, limited as it is to hand tyl ing, requires Very skilled labor,is tedious, costly,

and lacking in uniformity. `In addition to the disadvantage of the extralength and weightinvolved in such knots, the knots themselves aresubject to undue wear because of their bulk.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide mechanical means forjoining theoverlying ropes of reticulate fabrics without knotting.

Another object is to clamp the overlying ropes within .a metal clip thatis simple, compact, and easily applied by pressure.

Another object is to compress tightly the overlyingA ropes Within theclips to prevent slippage therein. f

Another-object is to reinforce the clipsfso that they will maintain theapplied pressure.

Another object is to protect the junctureof the ropes against wear.

Another object is to avoid crystallization and resultant cracking of theclinching'lugs of the assembled rope clips. Y

Another object is to assure uniformity in the meshes of reticulatefabrics.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description progresses.

In this specification and the accompanying drawings, the invention isdisclosed in its preferred form. But it is to be understood that it isnot limited to this form because it may be embodied in other formswithin the purview of the claims following the description.

In the two sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the juncture of two overlying ropes joined inaccordance with this invention, two of the clinching lugs being brokenaway to better illustrate the underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a side view o-f the same in vertical section taken along theline II-II, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an oblique section taken on the line III-III, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation detail of the crown plate. n

Fig. 5 is a plan viewfrorn above of the clinch plate.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail in vertical sec- (cl. 24.--123)V tion ofone corner of the line III, Fig. 1.

Fig. 'Tis a similar view ofthe same with the associated portion of thecrown plate in place and the bending of the clinchinglug in progress. 5Fig. 8 is a plan View from above of the crown plate, modified bytheaddition ofvnon-slipembossments. f

Fig. 9 is a cross section of the sameonthe line IX-IX, Fig. 8. 10

In detail the structure illustrated in ythe drawings, referring rst to-Fig. 5, comprises a rectangular metal plate having the groove Ick struckthe clinch plate, taken on down into the body of the plate byformingvdies. v l

The groove has theserni-cyiindrical` necks 3, 4 at I l5 opposite endsthereof. The longer necks 5, 6 intersect the central portion of ,thevgroove I at right angles thereto- The necks 5, 6 are elevatedy g abovethe bottom ofthe groove I. 'Ihe necks terminate in the flaring edges I,I5,l 9and i0 re- 20 spectively.

The four corners II, I2, I3, Iflof the' plate` are struck upward bydies, perpendicular 'to the plane I5 of the plate', to forrnclinchinglugs. The triangular ends. I I', I2', I3', and I of the lugs are 25 bentoutward, see Figs. 5, 6, '7;'v

'Ihe octagonal crown plate shownin Figs. 1, 2, and 4 is similar in everyrespect to the clinch plate, except that the clinching lugs II--Ili areomitted. `It comprises thefgroove lI with the 3o necks 3', 4. at itsopposite ends. The necks 5',

6' intersect the central portion of the groove I. The necks are aredoutwardly to form the belllike ends 'I', 8', 9', and It. The planes I5are flanged upward to form the struts I I", I2", I3", 35 and I4 betweenthe bell ends l', 3', 9', and IIJ of the crown plate.

In assembling the opposed plates, the rope A is laid in the groove I inthe clinching plate, and the rope B overlies it in the'crossed groove I'in 40 the crown plate which is placed on top of the crossed ropes sothat the four edges II", I2", I3, I4" lie within the four clinchlugsII-IA, with the rope B within the groove I which is transverse tothe groove I in the clinch plate I5. 45

These lugs II'-I4 are then bent inward by lateral dies such as y, seeFig. 7. When the bending operation is partially effected, the dies y arebacked away. The bending operation is completed by a clinching toolwhich is forced dOWn- 50 wardly against the clinching lugs from aboveunder considerable pressure. `It is important that the pressure of theclinching tool be applied only against the angularly offset triangularplanes II', I2', I3', and I4 of the lugs and direct 56 pressure on thebends be avoided. The resulting bends are of wide radius as shown inFig. 3. This precludes destructive strains in the bent portions of theclinching lugs and cracking resulting from crystallization thereof.

This pressure forces the ropes A, B into their respective grooves andbends them across each other and also clamps the several necks 3, 4, and5, 6 tightly around the ropes where they emerge from the clip. Thisclamping action and the friction between the overlying ropes preventsany relative movement between the ropes which4 are tightly compressedand completely iill the space within the clip, as shown in Fig. 2.

' The struts I I"-l4 assist in maintaining the compression of the ropebers clinched within the clip by preventing the flattening or distortionof the necks I-4 when the clinching die pressure is released. The strutsalso reinforce the clinched clip to prevent moisture swollen rope fromopening the clinch or distorting the clip so that it is loose when therope dries out. A further advantage of the vstrust is the enabling oftheincreasedradius of the bends H-l4, see Fig. 3, in clinching the lugsover these struts as discussed above. The struts, being locked withinthe bends of the clinching lugs, prevent the planes I5' from slippingfrom under the clinching lugs should heavy forces be applied to theropes tending to force the clinch andI crown platesapart.

The bell shape ends of the several necks as at 'l-IU and '|Ill' preventthe edges of the clip fraying the ropes A-B where they extend from theclip.l

The combined plates are shaped so that their `respective grooves conformto the juncture of the ropes and are of such depth that they compressthe juncture when the plates are finally joined. When twisted rope isunder tensile strain it reduces in diameter. It is therefore necessaryto put the juncture of the cross ropes A, B, under compressionsufficient to prevent this'reduction of cross section within the clips.The struts II-I4" make this compression possible with thinner gage metalclips. Thicker metal tends to fracture at the clinch bends, oftenbreaking away entirely during fabrication or later. Small cracks permitcorrosion to further weaken the clinch.

The embossed tits lli-I6 may be provided as shown in Fig. 8 and 9 toincrease the compression They also counteract the tendency of thetwisted rope to rotate and unscrew from the clips while under tensionand reduced in diameter.

Where the cross ropes join the side rope, the ends of the cross ropescan be cut oif flush with the neck 3 if desired, as indicated by thedotted line a: in Fig. 1.

'I'he clips can be used to fasten the cross rungs in rope ladders,drapers, and the like, by inserting the rung ends into the neck 4 andbetween the strands of the single rope before clinching the clip on tothe rope.

In forming drapers, rope slings, etc., where it is desired to reinforcea sheet of canvas or screen with a reticulate net, the clinching lugsll--M are forced up through the canvas before the crown plate isclinched therein.

The ingenuity of those skilled in the art in yapplying this clip torope, wood and metal rods, wire, cable, etc., will suggest uses andadvantages not herein stated, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. i

Having thus described Vthe invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by letters patent is:

1. A clip such as described comprising a clinch plate and a crown platehaving registering grooves formed thereon respectively; upstandingstruts on said crown'plate; and lugs on said clinch plate enclosing saidstruts respectively.

2. lA clip such as described, comprising opposed plates each havingregistering grooves forming circular necks; bell-like flanges on theouter ends of said necks; upstanding struts on one of said platesbetween said necks respectively; and lugs on the opposite plate andenclosing said struts respectively.

3. A clip such as described comprising a pair of plates havingregistering grooves formed therein respectively; upstanding struts onthe edges of one of said plates; and corner lugs on the opposite plateenclosing said strut in a curve of relatively wide radius.

4. A clip such as described comprising an octagonal crown plate;upstanding kstruts on said plate; a clinch plate havingr cornersenclosing said struts and lying against the plane of said crown plate;and circular necks `formed by lsemicircular grooves in both of saidplates between said struts respectively.

DENNIS F. LARKIN.

